Last week, both chambers of the US Congress approved a new bill proposing sweeping sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.

In response to the anti-Russia policy of the United States and the new sanctions against Moscow being developed, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday urged the United States to bring the number of diplomats and technical staff of diplomatic missions in Russia in line with the number of Russian diplomatic representatives in the United States before September 1. This means that the total number of personnel employed in US diplomatic and consular offices in Russia will be reduced to 455 people.